This invention relates generally to fluid pressure regulators, and more particularly has to do with high pressure gas regulators wherein high side pressure and flow can considerably affect regulation.
In a fluid pressure regulator, a diaphragm is commonly placed at the downstream side of an orifice controlled by a poppet or stopper. If the exit (regulated) pressure drops, the diaphragm senses the drop and moves the poppet in an orifice-opening direction to compensate for the pressure drop by increasing the flow through the orifice, and vice versa. However, such regulators are found to be undesirably sensitive to variations in supply pressure, i.e., input pressure supplied to the orifice at the high pressure side. For example, an increase in supply pressure can be communicated through the orifice, and to the poppet, to cause the diaphragm and poppet to move in orifice-closing direction, undesirably reducing the regulated pressure (output pressure accuracy). Also, O-rings and pistons used in regulators can contaminate the fluid passing through them.
There is need for improvements in regulators overcoming the above problem in a very simple and effective manner.